It’s half term which means a whole week off work; yayyyyyy!!!! It also means a week off school for the kids; that fills me with slightly less yay. That’s not because I don’t love them, it just means I have to find ways to entertain them for a week.
For those of you who don’t have half term, it is essentially a week off school mid term to ensure that teachers and support staff don’t go spare and end up locking kids in cupboards.
Even though it’s only been 4 weeks since the Easter holidays I was in much need of this holiday. Half terms are ideal for getting stuff done because anyone who doesn’t work in a school is still at work and it’s not filled with family visits but I have met me and I know when I am tired I waste my holiday vegetating. This half term I set myself some goals for the week and now with only 3 full days before the holiday ends I thought I’d review some of these goals.
Do some scrapbooking
Yes, you read that correctly. I am one of those rare human beings that still get photo’s printed….into like real pictures….that you can actually touch…..and put in a photo album. I lost so many pictures of Dylan as a baby when my hard-drive corrupted which is why I was so relived that I had put together a scrapbook of him as a baby.
Sadly, because I don’t seem to be able to stay awake more than 10 minutes after the baby is in bed I have last years holiday book, Arran’s baby book and the family’s annual album all on the go and taking over the living room. So far, I have managed to do nothing more than tidy this away but Saturday will be the day. Warm but not too sunny with a zero percent chance of rain; Arran and I will be heading out into the garden where he can explore, and I can stick some pictures in books……while making sure he isn’t exploring the pond.
Start a Journal
So, the bullet journal thing didn’t work out. It was an awesome concept and I loved it, but I kept forgetting about it and eventually it just found a permeant home on the coffee table. I have since found myself stuck for blog inspiration, so I have decided to keep an actual journal, like a full blown angst ridden teen jotting down their deepest, darkest thoughts and feelings into cute little note book. The idea is that by writing down some of my experiences I might get inspiration for the blog. So far so good I have written 2 entries and I have 2 blog ideas which is handy because…..
Schedule 6 weeks of blogs!
Its so much easier blog writing when I am not at work but it’s 6 weeks before the next holiday meaning I need to attempt to write, upload and schedule 12 blogs for between now and then. #screamemoji. Even worse the build up of scrap book materials had been joined by my blog notes, this mountain of stationary was then sabotaged by a drooley 9 month old whilst my back was turned. This means the feeble notes I had made for ideas and inspiration have either been hidden under something or were amongst the pile of unsalvageable papers. Either way I am back to scratch here. So Sunday, I have booked Mike to watch the drooler and I am on this!
Read a book
Well I started a book does that count? Speaking of which if you haven’t already checked out the awesomeness that is Gill Sims you totally should. I am about a third of the way into ‘Why Mummy Drinks’ and I can honestly say I haven’t laughed this hard at a book in my life. Its written by a mum about being a real mum and I actually get excited about Arran falling asleep in the middle of his dinner so I can have a 10-minute read. I have ‘Why Mummy Swears’ ready for when I have found enough 10 minutes here or there to complete the first book.
Get Arran into a better eating routine
Arran was eating breakfast then two big meals with pudding a day, because big meals are easier to blend and therefore easier to feed him. Arran is a little chunk though and probably doesn’t need a full roast at lunch followed by a shepherd’s pie for tea combined with two lots of pudding, 3 8oz bottles and a full bowl of porridge every day. So, we decided to give baby led teatime a go. It has been a massive success and I’d love to say it’s because Mike and I are #parentinggoals but it’s all Arran.
We now serve him a tea consisting of a sandwich, fruit and rice snacks cut into finger bites which he has to feed himself. Hats off to the lad, from day one he has crammed that food into his mouth like it’s going out of fashion and there has only been one choking incident. More importantly, even though half of it seems to end up on the floor (and we do top him up with a yoghurt) Arran seems satisfied and like he’s enjoying his mealtime so I consider that goal well and truly achieved.
Enjoy the boys
I try really hard to enjoy my time with the boys when I am off work. It can be difficult as you don’t exactly go back to work after your holiday feeling rested but making memories to fill my scrapbooks with (or as the current case is, clutter my living room with pictures of next to empty scrapbooks) is what I actually do all this for. So far I have taken Dylan to bike racing, we’ve all enjoyed a splash about in a hot tub and tomorrow will be Arran’s very first trip to the seaside. All very exciting.
It’s the small memories too; watching a scary movie with Dylan from under a blanket, play wrestling Arran on the bed this morning and hearing him giggle so loudly it felt like he was piercing my ear drum or just getting to cuddle him during his post breakfast nap; it makes this time away from work not restful but pretty awesome.
Outnumbered 